Adult Echocardiography Practice Exam

In restrictive cardiomyopathy, the myocardium may appear:

1. Thinned

2. Increased echogenicity

3. Decreased echogenicity

4. No change in echogenicity

The correct answer is: Increased echogenicity

In restrictive cardiomyopathy, the myocardium typically shows increased echogenicity during echocardiographic evaluation. This characteristic is due to the presence of abnormal deposits within the myocardial tissue, such as amyloid or fibrosis, which can lead to stiffening and thickening of the ventricular walls. As the contractile properties of the myocardium are compromised, it loses its normal compliance, and the structural changes result in a brighter appearance on ultrasound imaging. The increased echogenicity contrasts with normal myocardial echogenicity, which is generally uniform and less bright. In restrictive cardiomyopathy, this change provides important diagnostic information, allowing for the identification of underlying pathological processes that affect the heart's ability to fill properly during diastole. Understanding these echogenic properties can aid in differentiating restrictive cardiomyopathy from other types of cardiomyopathy, such as hypertrophic or dilated cardiomyopathy, where echogenicity may present differently due to various underlying pathophysiologies.